Apparatus and method of filling containers



April 7, 1959 E.LU'I 'HER' '2,'880;766

Y APPARATUS AND METHOD OF FILLING CONTAINERS v Filed Dec. 13. 1955 2 Sheets-Shget ,1

VACU UM sax/Ra:

JOURCE I of L/QU/D F H-E- A .E. 941/4 5 1077153 izT-i BY A April 7, 1959 P. E. LUTHER 2,880,766-

'APPARATUS AND METHOD OF FILLING CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .I i? r 52 /3 INVENTOR P404 5 LUTHER United States Patent O APPARATUS AND METHOD OF FILLING CONTAINERS Paul E. Luther, Oakland, Calif.

Application December 13, 1955, Serial No. 552,820

8 Claims. (Cl. 141-292) This invention relates to an apparatus and method for filling containers, such as cans, with liquid products, and is more particularly directed towards apparatus of such character which may be alternately used in connection with gravity, pressure or vacuum filling.

It is accepted practice in filling containers with fluid to bring the containers, which may either be empty or partially filled with fruit or the like, into a can filling machine. Upon entry into the machine, the respective cans and their associated filling valves are caused to move axially towards each other, thereby openings the valves which are in communication with a source of liquid supply. Upon opening of the valve, the liquid flows into the can to either fill the latter, or to fill the interstices between the solid product therefore placed in the can. While the apparatus and method of the present invention generally incorporates the foregoing conventional cycle of operation, there are numerous changes and departures from the standard method of filling which renders the instant apparatus and method far more desirable and accurate than that heretofore available in the trade.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus, including a novel valve mechanism, and a method for filling containers with liquid which may alternately and selectively be run as a pressure system, a vacuum system or by gravity.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method of the character described in which the level to which the liquid fills the can may be accurately and positively maintained.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method as hereinabove described which may be used with or without a conventional liquid supply bowl, the latter being replaced by any suitable source of liquid.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved valve structure incorporating means for selectively adjusting the liquid level in the can, with such adjustment being permitted while the bowl or other source of liquid is in communication with the valve without spilling any of such liquid.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method as hereinabove mentioned in which a minimum axial movement of the valve is required to permit the opening and closing thereof.

Yet another and important object or feature of this invention is to provide a liquid filling apparatus and method which is extremely simple in construction and yet which will operate much faster and on more viscous liquids than with apparatus heretofore available in the trade.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a liquid filling valve and apparatus in which a conventional type of vent tube is utilized and in which means are provided for blowing all liquid out of the vent'tube upon closing of the valve.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following. description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings ac- "ice companying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted Within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a liquid filling apparatus incorporating the valves and other novel features of the present invention wherein the gravity method is utilized for filling the containers with liquid.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially in the plane indicated by line 22 of Figure 1 and indicating a valve in its inoperative or closed position.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially in the plane indicated by line 33 of Figure 1 and illustrating the valve in its open or filling position.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the valve illustrated in Figure 2, the plane of the view taken substantially on line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 2 but illustrating the apparatus used in connection with a vacuum type of filling system.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating the apparatus modified for use with a pressure type of filling system.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a single filler valve, generally designated by the numeral 12, may be utilized, with slight modifications in connection with a pressure, gravity or vacuum method of filling operation. Therefore, before going into any detail as to the overall filling process, it is believed advisable to first discuss the novel valve mechanism as utilized by the gravity method of filling containers illustrated in Figures 1 through 4 of the drawings.

The valve 12 will be seen to include a generally tubular body portion 13 which terminates adjacent its lower end in a valve head 14. The head is secured to the body by means of a central boss 16 extending from the upper surface of the head and which is formed with a substantially semi-circular portion 17 which extends from substantially one-half of the inner periphery of the body. It will be noticed that the portion 17 and head 14 are spaced from each other so as to provide a generally semi-cylindrical chamber 18, and as will be hereinafter described, when the chamber defined by the body 13 is filled with liquid, the chamber 18 will be free of liquid while the valve is closed. The upper threaded end of the body 13 is adapted for releasable engagement with a collar element 21 which in turn is threaded to a member comprising a pair of flanges 22 which is disposed at the lower end of a valve housing 23. The construction of the valve housing 23, the flanges 22 and cooperating portions of the valve housing and actuating mechanism are fully disclosed and described in my copending application, Serial No. 437,685, now Patent Number 2,837,127, entitled Apparatus and Method for Filling Containers With Liquid.

Although, as was previously stated, it is not necessary to have the instant valve or filling system work in cooperation with a liquid supply bowl, for purposes of simplicity in the description and an easier understanding of the invention, such a bowl, indicated by the numeral 24, is disclosed. As will be seen, the bowl is provided with side walls 26 and a bottom 27, the latter being suitably apertured at various locations for the reception of the respective valve housings in circumferential spacing along the bowl bottom. A collar 28 is positioned in each of the apertures in the bowl bottom, and such collar is provided with a seal ring 29 which engages the outer peripheral surface of the housing 23 so that a liquid tight seal is obtained therebetween irrespective of movement of the housing. The open upper end of the valve housing extends into the bowl and so long as the liquid levelin the bowl is above the height of such housing, liquid will fill the chamber 31 defined by the valve housing and the chamber 32 defined by the valve body 13.

As is well known in the art, a liquid filler valve is intended to operate only when a can or container is in position for filling and normally, the valve is maintained in a, closed position by a portion of the valve head bearing against a sealing member. This sealing member, generally indicated by the numeral 36, has a radially extending portion 37, a downwardly directed flange 38 at the outermost portion thereof, a generally parallel flange 39 on the inner portion thereof, and an angularly shaped top, portion 41. extending from just outwardly of the fiange 39 A can. seal gasket 42 is positioned between the flanges 38 and 39; and seated in the angle portion 41 and extending along the inner portion of flange 39 is a valve sealing gasket 46, this gasket performing the primary function; of sealing the valve when. no can is in position for filling.

As an important feature of the present valve, it will be noticed thatv the outer surface of the valve body 13 is flared outwardly as indicated at 48, and in view of the fact that the gasket 46 extends along this flared portion, upon relative axial movement of the valve body the gasket 46 will be forced outwardly thereby providing a positive sealing engagement between the valve body 13 and the sealing member 36.

The outer peripheral portion of the upper surface of the valve head is beveled as shown at 51 so as to permit a, good seal between the lower end of the gasket 46 and the head upon valve closure. The element 36 is normally maintained in a closed or sealing position by means of a spring 52. interposed between collar 21 and the upper end. of element 36. Hence, it is only when the spring pressure is overcome, that a relative separation is efiected between the valve head and the element so as to permit liquid to pass therebetween, as illustrated in Figure 3' of the drawing. In this case, the liquid will enter the container 58 substantially uniformally around one half the periphery of the valve head and when the container is filled liquid will then enter the chamber 18. However, upon closing of the valve, the gasket will be forced downwardly along the tapered portion 48 of the valve sleeve and effectively provide a liquid seal between the head and sealing element.

To provide for valve actuation, it is necessary for either the can to be elevated so as to force the valve element upwardly relative to the valve or conversely by moving the, valve downwardly relative to the sealing element. In accordance with the teachings of my aforementioned copending application, it is preferable to perform the opening of the valve by moving the valve head downwardly relative to a vertically stationary can, and when a can is in position and bearing against its gasket 42, the head may be lowered so as to produce the liquid filling spacing as. shown in Figure 3. As here illustrated, and as more fully described in said copending application, a roller 59 is. provided and is secured to a vertical post 60 which is slidably mounted in a sleeve 65 disposed between the sides of the bowl and the inner peripheral surface of a stationary cam 69. The lower extremity of the post carries a. horizontally disposed yoke member 70. whose forked end engages the flanges 22 of the valve housing. As the valve housing is slidably mounted in its collar 28, upon movement of the post and consequently of the yoke member 70, the housing and associated valve body 13 may be raised and lowered depending upon the. shape of the cam 69, and thereby effect an opening and closing. of the valve at selected positions of movement of the valve in relation to the complete filling cycle. The times for filling and sealing, are well discussed in said copending application and form no part of the instant invention.

By means of the taper or flare 48 at the, bottom of the valve body, in cooperation with the sealing. gasket 46, it is possible to hold even low vacuums, in the neighborhood of one inch of mercury. It will likewise be noticed that the sealing gasket 46 is provided with a radial flange so that it may be readily moved with the portion. 37 of the sealing element 36 as the latter is caused to move. Likewise, due to the novel valve construction, it is possible to have the valve tilted and axially misaligned relative to the container and still perform proper filling operation. A further point which should be discussed in connection with the valve is that the gasket 46 eliminates the generally conventional pair of 0 rings found in most liquid filling valves. This is amuch more sanitary arrangement and permits more ready cleaning of the valve parts.

It will. be noted that the sealing element 36 is provided with a U-shaped chamber defined by the portions 37, 38 and 39 thereof which is arranged to receive the can seal ring 42. It will be apparent that by varying the vertical position of the can seal ring in its U-shaped chamber, that the liquid level or head space in the container may be adjustably varied. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, shims or spacers 56 may be placed between the sealing element 36 and the can seal gasket 42 and by bringing the seal downwardly or upwardly the head space may be easily varied. It will also be appreciated that this placing or removal of the spacers may be accomplished when the valvev is in a closed position and therefore the bowl may be filled with liquid without danger of such liquid escaping through an open valve as in the case of head adjustment on conventional filling valves.

In Figure 2, the valve is shown in its closed position, whereas in Figure 3, the valve is shown in a liquid filling position. The boss 16 previously discussed on the upper portion of the valve head 14 is provided with a central aperture for receiving an air tube 61. This air tube ex.- tends upwardly through the, valve and valve housing and likewise extends above the normal level of liquidinthe bowl 24. Adjacent and parallel to the air tube 61 is avent tube 62 which is connected at its lower end to thechamber 18 by means of a threaded bore provided in the semi-circular disk portion 17 of the valve. Communication is had between the air tube 61 and the chamber 18 by means of a small passage 63 which interconnects the two. Thus, in operation, as liquid enters the container, and fills the latter, the displaced air escapes through the vent tube 62 and continued opening of the valve will result in liquid filling the chamber 18 and rising in the vent tube, and excluding friction losses and the like, if the valve is kept in an open position for a sufficiently long time, the liquid level in the vent tube will approximate that of the liquid in the bowl. Upon closure of the valve it is a very desirable feature to remove this liquid in the vent tube in order to pennit a constant head on the liquid to be introduced into the next container. Accordingly, means are provided in combination with the air tube 61 for driving any accumulated liquid from the chamber 18 and the vent tube 62 out through the upper end 64 of the latter and back into the bowl. It will be, noticed that the upper end of air tube 61 is provided with a flexible portion 66 which terminates in a horizontally disposed conduit 67. This conduit 67 is contained in a shoe 68 which obviously travels around with the rotation of the bowl and its associated valves. At a predetermined point in the rotational movement of the bowl, the block 68 will come in communication with a manifold member 69: which is provided with a horizontally extending bore 71 in communication with a source of compressed air from a conduit 72. When the shoe 68, and moreparticularly, a vertical passage 73 therein, rotates to a position where it is in communication with the passage 71 (which may extend for any desired number of degrees of rotation of the bowl), air from the conduit 72 will pass thereinto and through the air tube 61 and efiectively blow outthe liquid in the chamber 18 and 62, so that upon the next opening of the valve, all of the liquid will come in from the chambers 31 and 32 in a conventional manner. This assonee is of utmost importance in maintaining proper headvadjustment in the containers and is impossible to obtain with conventional valve con'tructions in which the vent tube is normally partially filled with liquid of varying heights.

In Figure 5, a valve substantially identical to the valve previously described is disclosed for use in connection with a vacuum type operation. In this case, the vent tube 62 is replaced by a vacuum tube 81 and the air tube 61 is eliminated, the valve portion 17 either being made solid in the area where the tube 61 is threaded to such portion, or a plug may be used in the event the same valve is to be utilized. In any event, a vacuum is readily obtained in the container by connecting the tube 81 to any suitable vacuum source 83 and hence it is a simple and convenient manner to produce a vacuum for drawing the liquid into the can or container placed adjacent the valve. With a vacuum system, the bowl 24 may be utilized as shown or any source of liquid supply can be substituted for the bowl so long as there is some communication between the valve chamber and the source of supply. It is possible in the vacuum system disclosed to run on a very small vacuum as the gasket and valve sealing arrangement previously discussed is capable of holding small vacuums without leakage. In fact, even where the valve is out of alignment, it is still possible to hold the vacuum and permit proper filling of the containers. By virtue of the low vacuum on which the valve and system is intended to operate, i.e., in the neighborhood of l to 4 inches, with a maximum of 8 inches of mercury, there will be no drawover and no raising of liquid in the vacuum tube but only the air in the container will be evacuated from the container.

The vacuum type of filling operation is particularly adapted for use on more viscous liquids, such as syrup, where the vacuum assists in pulling the product into the container. Obviously by increasing the vacuum and/or by increasing the length of the vacuum cycle, the container will be assured of being filled to its proper level.

In Figure 6 a modification of the valve is illustrated for operation with a pressure system of filling in which the bowl 24 has been replaced by a source of liquid 91. A constant pressure pump 92 draws liquid from the source through a tube 93 to a central inlet spider 94 which is in communication with the respective valves by means of radially extending tubes 96. Return tubes 97 likewise extend from the valves to a return spider 98 which is provided with a discharge pipe 99 to the source of liquid 91. The portion 17 of the valve 12, in this case, is circular in form and provides, opposite the semi-circular chamber 18 a similar chamber 101. Communication is had between the inlet tube 96 and the chamber 101 by means of a threaded bore in the portion 17 which receives the end of the inlet tube 96. Likewise the return tube 97 is connected at its lower end to the chamber 18 by means of a threaded bore in the opposite half of portion 17. When the valve is opened liquid flows from the inlet tube 96 into the container until the latter is filled when any excess liquid is drawn off through the discharge tube 97 into the central discharge spider and back to the source through the tube 99. A valve 102 also provides communication from the inlet spider directly to the discharge spider when the container has been completely filled.

Attention is directed to the fact that in Figures 2 and 3, a generally hollow valve head is shown, whereas in Figures 5 and 6, a solid head is illustrated. It should be explained that the hollow type of head is particularly adapted for handling purees or the like, while the solid type head is utilized when introducing liquid into cans which have already received a quantity of fruit or other solid pieces of material.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that while the valve and operation of the present filling system is extremely simple in construction and operation, it will adequately fulfill a long needed want in the canning industry,

and actually may be made cheaper than many forms of conventional filling equipment.

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid filling apparatus comprising a valve body having a valve head adjacent the lower end thereof, means spacing the lower end of said body from said head so as to provide an annular discharge opening therebetween, an annular member including a container seal ring positioned adjacent the lower end of said body and movable axially relative thereto, means normally urging said member into engagement with said valve head, and an annular resilient sealing gasket encompassing the lower end of said body and extending below the same and positioned intermediate the lower end of said body and said member and movable axially with said member relative to said body, said gasket providing a seal between said annular member and said head upon valve closure.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the lower end of said body is flared outwardly.

3. A liquid filling apparatus comprising: a generally tubular body having a flared lower end portion, a valve head spaced from said portion and operatively connected to said body for movement therewith, said valve head having a beveled peripheral edge surface, a relatively axially movable sealing member positioned adjacent said flared portion and carrying an axially extending annular gasket, said gasket being in engagement with said flared portion and arranged to engage said beveled head portion upon movement of said member in one direction and to be spaced from said beveled portion upon movement of said member in another direction, and means establishing flow communication to the top of said head member from exteriorly of said valve body.

4. A liquid filling apparatus comprising: a generally cylindrical valve body having an outwardly directed taper adjacent the lower end thereof, a substantially semi-circular member extending from the lower end of said body and having secured thereto a valve head in spaced relation to said member so as to define a semi-circular chamber therebetween, means defining a bore substantially centrally of said valve in said semi-circular member and in communication with said chamber, and a sealing gasket movable from a first position in engagement with a portion of said valve head and along said taper to a second position along said valve body in spaced relationship to said head.

5. A liquid filling apparatus comprising: a generally tubular valve body having an outwardly directed taper adjacent the lower end thereof, a valve head spaced from the lower end of said body and arranged to enter a container to be filled, an annular element positioned adjacent said body end, a can seal gasket disposed within said element, means normally urging said element into engagement with said valve head, and arranged to move axially upwardly along said body so as to provide an annular liquid discharge opening between the lower end of said body and said valve head, an axially extending gasket interposed between said element and said valve body and upon sealing of said valve being in engagement with said valve head, and an axially extending tube extending from adjacent said valve head in communication with said discharge opening.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including means for axially adjusting the position of said can seal gasket in said element.

7. Apparatus for filling containers with liquid comprising: a generally cylindrical valve body having an outwardly directed taper adjacent the lower end thereof, a substantially semi-circular member extending from the lower end of said body and having secured thereto a valve head in spaced relation to said member so as to define a semi-circular chamber therebetween, means defining a bore substantially centrally of said valve in said semi-circular member and in communication with said chamber, a sealing gasket movable from a first position in engage ment with a portion of said valve head and along said taper to a second position along said valve body in spaced relationship to said head, a first tube mounted in said semicircular member and communicating with said chamber, a secondtuhe extending from saidmemb'er andcommunicating with said chamber, an air manifold, and means for intermittently placing said air manifold into and out of communication with one of said tubes.

8. A liquid filling apparatus comprising a generally tubular valve body, an imperforate valve head spaced from the lower end of said body and having a central boss thereon, a generally imperforate semi-circular member connected to said boss and to substantially one-half the inner peripheral surface of said valve body, means defining a central cavity extending from the upper surface of 8 said boss, means establishing communication from said cavity to a chamber. defined between said semi-circular member and said valve head, said semi-circular member having a bore communicating with said chamber, and a vertically extending vent tube operatively mounted ill-said bore for communication with said chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,926,290 Krieglmeyer Sept. 12, 1933 2,071,006 Urschel Feb. 16', 1937 2,321,104 Russell June 8-, 1943' 2,652,965 McGihon Sept. 22, 1953 2,671,591 Franz Mar. 9, 1954 2,754,043 Casigliani July 10; 1956 

